Download Understanding Statistics: Definitions, Basics, Types, and Applications and more Schemes and Mind Maps Statistics in PDF only on Docsity! Statistics is the study of the collection, analysis, interpretation, presentation, and organization of data. In other words, it is a mathematical discipline to collect and summarize data. Also, we can say that statistics is a branch of applied mathematics. However, there are two important and basic ideas involved in statistics; they are uncertainty and variation. The uncertainty and variation in different fields can be determined only through statistical analysis. These uncertainties are determined by the probability that plays an important role in statistics. What is Statistics? Statistics is simply defined as the study and manipulation of data. As we have already discussed in the introduction statistics deals with the analysis and computation of numerical data. Let us see more definitions of statistics given by different authors here. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, statistics is defined as “classified facts representing the conditions of a people in a state – especially the facts that can be stated in numbers or any other tabular or classified arrangement”. According to statistician Sir Arthur Lyon Bowley, statistics is defined as “Numerical statements of facts in any department of inquiry placed about each other”. Basics of Statistics The basics of statistics include the measure of central tendency and the measure of dispersion. The central tendencies are mean, median, and mode, and dispersions comprise variance and standard deviation. Mean is the average of the observations. Formula, Sum all the numbers and divide by the total numbers. The median is the central value when observations are arranged in order. The median is the middle value of the dataset if it is in order. Formula, total numbers divide by 2. If numbers are odd then add 1 and divide by 2. If numbers are even then add the middle number and near of middle number then divide by 2 The mode determines the most frequent observations in a data set. Variation is the measure of spread out of the collection of data. Standard deviation is the measure of the dispersion of data from the mean. The square of the standard deviation is equal to the variance. Mathematical Statistics Mathematical statistics is the application of Mathematics to Statistics, which was initially conceived as the science of the state — the collection and analysis of facts about a country: its economy, military, population, and so forth. Mathematical techniques used for different analytics include mathematical analysis, linear algebra, stochastic analysis, differential equations, and measure-theoretic probability theory. Types of Statistics There are two types of statistics. Descriptive Statistics Inferential Statistics In the case of descriptive statistics, the data or collection of data is described in summary. However, in the case of inferential statistics, it is used to explain the descriptive one. Both these types have been used on a large scale. Descriptive Statistics Descriptive statistics summarize and organize the characteristics of a data set. When conducting quantitative research, descriptive statistics help us understand the data by providing insights into various aspects: 1. Frequency distribution: Describes how often each value occurs in the data set. 2. Measures of central tendency: Reveals the average or typical value of a variable (e.g., age). 3. Measures of variability: Indicates how spread out the values are. Inferential Statistics Inferential statistics involves making predictions or inferences about a larger population based on a sample of data taken from that population. It allows us to analyze probabilities, assumptions, and outcomes related to hypotheses Scope of Statistics Statistics is used in many sectors such as psychology, geology, sociology, weather forecasting, probability, and much more. The goal of statistics is to gain understanding from the data, it focuses on applications, and hence, it is distinctively considered as a mathematical science. Methods in Statistics